[Jackson] [XXXVII-178] [1604] Boston Mar 21^st, 1791 Dear Harry Your favor of the 14 Inst came to hand by the post on Wednesday eveg — had only time to make a P.S. to my letter at the Post Office — I am satisfied that the preparations in your department must have engrossed quite whole time & attention — you are therefore perfectly excusable in a want of punctuality in writing — I believe but few are as well acquainted with the late Officers of the American Army as I am, and I do assure you, I should have been highly gratified to have assisted you in the late arrangement as I said before — except in a few instances your list is a good one — I cannot account for Major Doughty's declining, he is a very respectable command, — he is a very good Soldier, and in every instance calculated for a military life — you say you know not whether to press on [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] Reg^t — the nature of the service is bad, and not profitable, and in this case you shall act as for yourself, if you believe a military appointment, in the present case would not contribute to my happiness — on the contrary you believe all circumstances considered it would make me respectable — and you ask me, to [undecipherable] you know my mind — I thank you my good Friend for the candid manner in which you express yourself on this subject, and altho I exceedingly dislike my present situation, and am very desirous to be placed in a more Eligible one, yet from the fullest [undecipherable] and viewing every circumstances, and the responsibility of [undecipherable] good [undecipherable] attached to the family, and other concerns that I am engaged in — that I think with you (all things considered) that an appointment in the present case, would not contribute to my real happiness, as for the nature of the service it must be expensive & unprofitable, and however the life of a Soldier may be agreeable to me, I [undecipherable] not yet [undecipherable] satisfied with Lt Col[undecipherable] and Joined to those whom I had commanded — M^r [undecipherable] is much gratified at his late appointment — this is unexpected, and is a great disappointment & mortification to many — [undecipherable] measures have the credit of bringing him forward — if there should be appointments in the Excise worth my acceptance — such as Collector of Excise, I would [undecipherable] your influence & attention — I forwarded Maj^r [Frazett's: probable reading] his Letter the next day after [undecipherable], and wrote him by all means and that in the most urgent manner to accept of the appointment — poor fellow I believe he is in the vocations, and in a miserable and distressed Situation — your letter to Major Burnham is yet in the Post Office — I have made enquiry after him, and have been informed, that about three weeks ago he went on to the [Ohio: probable reading] — if he is in this quarter will find him out — I will write of a Major for you, by the time you will want him — I think a Company would not tempt Bowles from his present Situation — altho Cap^t Nathaniel Stone commands a good Ship, yet he would leave her to have the command of a Company — he is a brave, active, Boston March 27, 1791 and attentive good Officer, & would do honor to the service, he was a Captain by Brevet at the close of the War — he is now in Georgia Captain of a Ship — I hope you will have it in your power to make the two appointments I mentioned to you in my last, it will greatly oblige me to have them effected, but if but one of them, let that be M^r Samuel Andrews — you will find it difficult to recruit the Men in this quarter on the encouragements given, and it is the most unfavorable Season of the year to Beat the Drum — I have advised Cap^t Hunt, as fast as he collects his recruits, to send them to the Castle, or they will half run away — Before this I think you must have seen our friend Ogden, and a hearty laugh you must have had together, I hope he got home safe, and found his family well, she will always remember Boston, as his friends here with him — let me know what he [undecipherable] says of us, & the treatment he met with — Yesterday N^o 17451 drew fifty dollars, it is one of the Tickets I delivered you the [undecipherable] before we parted, the other [undecipherable] are out, [undecipherable] drawn 3 or 4 Blanks and as many 8 dollar prizes — the Lottery is very rich as you will observe by the State of the Wheel in the enclosed paper — there was only one 500 dollar Prize out yesterday — two thirds of your numbers on them, and the chance very favourable — M^r Joseph Peirce is much disappointed in not having from you respecting the Sale of the Estate, he has never received a word from you on that Subject, and is at a loss how to account for it, as you must know the regular mode in this business, & your advice was necessary to know how to proceed — my love to your family, and remember me to Miss Breeck — Your Affectionate H. [undecipherable] [address:] Gen^t [undecipherable] Philadelphia